


promises are not meant to be broken

by pinkberrygeek



Series: Beyond the Books [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Character Study, Dubious Ethics, Family, Fire Nation Royal Family, In-World Racism, Lu Ten (Avatar) Lives, Lu Ten POV, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Violence, Multi, Sibling Love, War, baby azula, baby zuko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:13:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27862121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkberrygeek/pseuds/pinkberrygeek
Summary: Prince Lu Ten makes a promise.Azula and Zuko would never have to be afraid, ever again.
Relationships: Azula & Lu Ten, Lu Ten & Zuko
Series: Beyond the Books [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005954
Comments: 5
Kudos: 134





	promises are not meant to be broken

**Author's Note:**

> A study of Lu Ten's personality and how he feels about his cousins (even if Azula is an annoying brat).

Prince Lu Ten had many qualities indicating a born ruler. 

He was brave, always standing strong in the face of adversity and danger. Powerful and intelligent, a true heir of Sozin's with an affinity for elaborate battle tactics that put their most seasoned Generals to shame. Adventurous, always traipsing off to explore new parts of the prosperous nation he called home.

Loyal to his country, and most importantly—to their mission.

To spread the Greatness of the Fire Nation to the world, where Water Tribe Savages lived misguided by a barbaric religion, and the Earth Kingdom peasants starved, their children growing up uncouth and uneducated. 

Unlike his family, however, Lu Ten was often compassionate, even to those of lower stations.

Considerate and forgiving, never failing to thank his overworked servants, asking after their families, how their lives in the palace differed from the city. He never abused them with degrading words and casual threats of violence (like Azula so often did) (whether she does this in jest, he does not know).

His servants adored him for it, rewarding him with bright smiles, compelling stories of their lives as one of the common folk and an unabashed eagerness to see the day he'd finally take the throne. 

Grandfather, on the other hand, governed over their illustrious Nation with throat-cutting efficiency. Fear and ruthlessness were his preferred and most reliable methods of rule, and while the Fire Lord had his Nation's best interests at heart, he did not care much for second chances.

(Uncle Ozai, from what little Lu Ten remembered about him, had been no different.)

Little Azula would no doubt follow in their footsteps, already showing remarkably prodigal standards of bending. She had the observational keenness of a leopard hawk with no mercy for its prey and already had the servants under her heel, trembling with fear should they be so unfortunate to ignite her wrath.

Needless to say, this conflict of persona within the Royal Family had caused Lu Ten some emotional distress.

The young prince had plenty of love in his heart. He failed to understand the sadism so many of their ranks enjoyed while fighting against their enemies, telling tales of torture, detailing their kills vividly, with smiles upon their faces, as though they had _revelled_ in it.

Colonel Mongke had been one such man Lu Ten had the displeasure of meeting. His stories had thoroughly repulsed him, and the young prince (twelve at the time) had quickly asked to be excused. 

Lu Ten had proudly adopted his code of honour from his Father, Crown Prince Iroh, the legendary Dragon of the West, future ruler of the Fire Nation (and perhaps, given Grandfather’s old age), the most powerful firebender alive.

There was no pride in defeating the weak. Alphas who rattled off endlessly about murdering helpless beta and omega women and children were no alphas at all. And while the war they fought was undoubtedly necessary, Iroh had always drilled it into Lu Ten's head never to underestimate an opponent on the battlefield, no matter how uncivilised they might seem—and to remain dignified in both defeat, and victory. 

A much more vulnerable, five-year-old Lu Ten, remembers there being plenty of friction between Iroh and Ozai surrounding this clash of morals. 

There had been an intense shouting match between the two brothers, one day—regarding the matter of punishing the Southern waterbenders held in prison.

A lone waterbender had escaped, leaving three guards dead and their bodies mutilated. It was gruesome, almost like the blood had been squeezed out from under their veins. 

Ozai had wanted penance in blood. For all the remaining waterbenders to be executed by public beheading, as a lesson to any potential prisoners who got it in their heads the foolish idea to escape.

Dad had strongly disagreed, saying that the action of one person could not be justified by seeking vengeance on innocent parties, all of whom had already surrendered. They had fought bravely, Iroh declared, and they deserved to be treated like the warriors they were, even if they _were_ savages. 

The argument which immediately followed was vicious.

Both alphas were posturing for dominance, their scents polluted by anger and hatred. Lu Ten had stood for what felt like hours in the corner of that suffocating room, instinctively frozen in the doorway by the smell of ashes and iron rolling off in waves, from Uncle Ozai. Even Dad's scent (normally a comforting mix of jasmine and cypress), had become hostile. 

But as both brothers exhibited similar levels of anger, there had been one visible difference.

Uncle Ozai's expression had been so filled with unadulterated, bloodthirsty _malice_ that it scared him. It scared him because Lu Ten had _known_ , even as a child, that the hatred in his eyes was no longer because of the waterbenders kept in their prisons, but instead directed at Iroh, Ozai's own brother. 

(Lu Ten had never known Ozai as much as he would have been able to—he had been taken from them early—but there was something in his gut that told him it was for the best, as traitorous as the thought sounded.)

He does not remember how the argument ended.

Aunt Ursa had come to scoop him away from the stifling scents of hostility between the two older Alphas, leading him away by the hand with a frightened toddler—baby Zuko—enveloped in the safety of her breast.

Lu Ten knows this. 

Iroh had always believed in a code of honour, amongst warriors who fought on the battlefield for what they believed was right. The fight would always be concluded with either surrender, defeat, or death.

The innocent did not deserve to be harmed.

“We seek to spread the greatness of our Nation to others,” Dad had reminded him one day, during a trip to Ember Island, a brief reprieve from royal duties. “Not just our resources and our culture, but also our principals. Strength does not just lie within the body, but also in the mind. Empathy is a strong tool always at our disposal, one that can be used to change the minds of hearts. Always remember this, my son.”

Looking back, Lu Ten thinks his Dad’s code of honour might have changed, the night Uncle Ozai and Aunt Ursa were brutally killed. Now Ba Sing Se would burn—rightfully so if propaganda was to be believed—for stealing away two of Agni’s blessed.

He knew it was not his place to question the decision of the Fire Lord himself, even if Fire Lord Azulon was also Grandfather.

The Fire Lord held absolute power over his subjects, and questioning his decisions was tantamount to treason.

(Given the climate at the time, Lu Ten’s instincts had told him that even breathing a word against this monstrous plan, would have ended in dire consequences.)

It was the night after the murders that Lu Ten understood his new purpose with frightening clarity, holding a sobbing Zuko tightly in his arms. Dad was attending to the funeral arrangements, while Grandfather grieved privately in his chambers. Azula was in a similar state, cold and motionless, like a doll, staring lifelessly at the garden where her mother always used to be.

Lu Ten still wondered what she was thinking, at that time. She was so different from Zuko and himself, it was hard to understand her.

He feared that she simply didn’t know _how_ to ask for help.

(At least he didn’t have to worry about that with Zuko.)

“I want them,” His baby cousin had bawled into his shoulder, trembling with shock and grief. Lu Ten was shaken, too. He held onto Zuko even tighter, afraid he’d somehow slip away.

“Please _._ I want them back!”

Lu Ten was unable to grant Zuko’s request. All he could do, was whisper gentle assurances in his ear, promising to never leave him and Azula. How could he? His baby cousins were all alone now, their once bright unit broken and hollowed like his and Dad's had become, when Mom died.

“I’m sorry, Zuko,” Lu Ten kissed his forehead, gesturing to Azula to come close. When she did, he swept them both in his arms, tucking their heads to his chest. “You’re both safe. You’ll always be, as long as I’m here.”

Azula had remained expressionless, but the hand that came up to tightly grip his forearm told otherwise. Zuko continued to sob, holding onto Azula’s other hand with his own, and smearing tears and snot all over the front of Lu Ten’s robes.

(He didn’t mind.)

Lu Ten knew then.

For family, and especially for his baby cousins, he would do anything.


End file.
